Times Change
by M Chettle
Summary: A stranger arrives on DS9. A Bashir story.


TIMES CHANGE by Marie Chettle.

He sat in the dark and listened to the sound of them approaching. He hoped that they had come for one of the others, but deep down he knew that they hadn't and he began to shake with fear at the thought of what they would do to him. He tried to back away, pushing himself back across the floor into the darkness, but his hands slipped and slid on the floor. Looking down he saw they were covered in blood. Dark patches of it that covered his palms and fingers, and dripped onto the floor. It took him a moment to realise who's blood it was, and then they were there.

They came out of the darkness towards him. Their faces blank, their eyes unfocused, as their broken bodies walked jerkily towards him. Their uniforms were stained crimson by the huge patches of blood from the gapping wounds that covered their bodies. The blood from Kira's head wound ran down the side of her nose as she and the rest of the other senior staff converged on him. Arms out stretched they reached for him, and he could feel the ice cold chill of death as they touched him.

He bolted upright and stared around the room his heart pounding. It took him a moment to realise that he wasn't in the cell any more, but safe on the bridge of his small ship, and as his heart began to settle he realised that, if he was successful, he would never be in there at all. He glanced at the navigational computer and realised that he was nearly at the co-ordinates.

It had taken him nearly three years to confirm the details about the 'Bounty', Starfleet was very protective of it's files, especially those concerning temporal mechanics. Another two to workout the equations, but finally he was nearly there. Smiling he set a course for a nearby star and began to increase speed to warp nine point eight as he swung around it.

The docking bay doors rolled back and Odo watched as the new arrivals swarmed off. There were many he recognised, both station personnel and civilians, but there was one that caught his eye. Not because he recognised him as he was covered from head to toe by a brown cloak that obscured any chance Odo had of seeing his face, but because of his movements. There was a familiarity to them that gnawed at the station's security chief.

The figure made his way over to a public computer consol, an out of the way one that was rarely used by anyone except those who knew the station well, and pressed some of the keys. Suddenly he seemed to tense, and then began to press one of the keys over and over again, practically thumping it by the end. Then he sagged slowly forward until his head touched the wall. He remained in that position for so long that Odo thought that he had collapsed and was about to call for medical assistance, when the figure seemed to pull himself together. Straighting he peered nervously up and down the promenade before heading off.

Odo continued to watch him until he was completely out of sight, then headed over to his desk and called up the information displayed on the other consol. He stared at in confusion. The date ? Why had he called up the date and then confirmed it three times? And why had it affected him so much?

He took another large gulp of water. It was cool and refreshing against his dry and damaged throat. Three years!. He was three years too late! He had spent two years on those damn equations and he had still arrived at the wrong place. How could this have happened? He took another sip of his drink and sat down. As he sat there, gazing out of the window of the quarters he had been assigned, his anger began to fade and he realised that he should have expected something like this. He may be genetically enhanced but that didn't make him infallible, and he wasn't an expert on time equations either. There must be hundreds of variables he should have added but hadn't. Not that it mattered now. He could live with what had happened before, just. It's what happened afterwards that he couldn't and now, thankfully he wouldn't have to.

The lower level of Quark's was so packed that the Ferengi proprietor had to push his way through as he offered drinks to those who did not already have one. He still wasn't certain how Dax had managed to persuade him to give the first drinks for free on these occasions, but he did have a vague recollection of some pretty good oomah. He stopped to rub his ear suggestively before carrying on his way. Not that he minded too much about the drinks as he was more than able to make up any loss by adding extra to any subsequent ones ordered.

Dax, herself, was seated at one of the tables and was scanning the room trying to see if everyone was there. Leeta, Rom, Odo, O'Brien, McKowski, some of the medical staff, even Garak, but someone was missing. "Has anyone seen Nerys?" she asked. There was a shaking of heads and replies of no.

"I'm here", came a voice from the doorway as Major Kira Nerys strolled in taking a glass from Quark's tray as he past.

Dax smiled and rose. She headed for the centre of the room and cleared her throat. "Ladies and Gentlemen", she called in a loud voice. The room went quiet. 'I would like to propose a toast. To one of the Federation's best doctors. A kind, caring man, who was willing to go beyond the boundaries of a Starfleet officer and a friend when necessary, and often did. A man who always had time for others, even if they didn't always have time for him." She gave a meaningful look at Kira and O'Brien, before continuing. "A man who I am proud to have called a friend." She raised her glass. "Julian Bashir." The cry was repeated from around the room.

Three years earlier a returning runabout had been force to make an emergency landing on the non-Federation planet of Indos. When the Defiant had finally arrived they had been informed by the planet's government that seconds after landing the ship had exploded, and that there were no survivors. On board, along with two other crew members was the station's chief medical officer of two and half years, Doctor Julian Bashir. Ever since then Dax had taken it upon herself to organise a memorial service for her friend.

High up at one of the balcony tables a clocked figure also raised his glass. He hadn't know they had done this, and it made what he had done that much harder to bear. Would it had made any difference if he had ? Probably not. Not the way he had been feeling then...now he corrected.

A loud beep came over the communication system, interrupting the man's thoughts, and the senior officers were called to Sisko's office.

Sisko waited until the door was shut before dropping the bomb shell. "Julian's alive."

"WHAT!" exclaimed Kira. "Are...Are you sure?"

Sisko nodded. "The Exus delegate let it slip after one of the negotiations that the Indos had a Federation prisoner. Ambassador Releck refused to continue mediating the talks until he had been released."

Twenty months earlier minor skirmishes between Exus and it's neighbouring planet Indos had escalated into a full scale war. Soon each planet realised that they could not possibly win, but each was also unwilling to surrender. So they contacted the Federation in the hope that they would mediate peace talks. The Federation nervous at the ever present threat of war with the Domion, and therefore unwilling to have another war, even a minor one on a neighbouring border, agreed.

"Are they sure it's him?" asked O'Brien still unable to believe it.

"They ran a DNA scan. It's him."

"How is he?", asked Dax a little shocked that after all this time her friend was still alive.

"As well as can be expected after three years in captivity, but you'll be able to see for yourself soon", Sisko said happily. "The doctors thought familiar surroundings might help with his recovery so they're bringing him here. He'll arrive tomorrow." This brought a round of smiles from everyone, except McKowski.

Andrew McKowski was the Starfleet doctor sent to replace Bashir three years ago. Ever since his arrival he had heard stories about his predecessor. What kind of man he was, his abilities as a doctor and as a Starfleet officer. It wasn't that McKowski had ever been made to feel unwelcome, nor had his skills as a doctor ever been questioned, because they hadn't. It was just that he never felt able to measure up to the man he had replaced. Oh, he knew that some of the stories were probably exaggerated, but that didn't matter. This man had found a place in these people's hearts, even those not willing to admit it, and now he was coming back, and McKowski wasn't sure what to expect.

The cheer that went up at Dax's announcement was deafening and it shocked the figure on the second floor with it's intensity.

They were so happy. They cared so much, and all he had done was... The memories flooded through him. He tried to shut them out, but couldn't. Now instead of seeing a happy Dax wandering around Quark's, a huge smile on her face, all he could see was a different one. One who's face was filled with fear and terror as his hands squeezed a round her throat. He screwed his eyes shut in desperation, but it didn't work. The memories were still there. He rose and headed out of the bar, nearly bowling over a Ferengi waiter in his attempt to escape the thoughts now filling his mind.

As the hiss of the doors filled the room Dax and Sisko rose to join the others. The movement caused McKowski to stop in the open doorway.

Sisko smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Dr, but I just couldn't keep them away." The doctors that had been treating Bashir since his release had recommended that there not be a welcoming comity on the Doctor's return to the station, as it was thought it might be a bit too overwhelming for him. However Sisko had not been able to dissuade the others, and he didn't have the heart to make it an order. Anyway he was eager to see his friend once again too.

McKowski nodded in understanding and moved out of the way allowing someone else to enter the room.

The Bashir that entered was not their Bashir. That excitment, sometimes overwhelming enthusiasm for life was gone. Instead this Bashir was quiet, subdued and thin. So thin, in fact, that his eyes had sunk deep into his skull. His skin, pale from the lack of sunlight, was pock marked by scars. One in particular stood out. Situated on his right hand between his thumb and forefinger, it was circular in shape with a number of lines spreading out from it, like a star caught in the moment of it's death.

Covering their shock with welcomes the others rushed forward hands extended and words of welcome on their lips. All except Dax who threw her arms round Bashir in her delight at her friend's return. Bashir's lack of response to this was testimony in it's self to what he had been through.

In fact he didn't respond to anything the others said or did, and an uncomfortable silence descended on the room. This was eventually broken by McKowski, who heading over to Bashir, lightly took his arm.

"Why don't you lie down", he suggested giving Bashir a gentle nudge in the direction of the bedroom. Bashir began to move away.

"Has he said anything about what happened to him?", asked Sisko shocked at the state of his former chief medical officer. He had expected some changes in his friend but nothing to this extent.

McKowski shook his head. "No. He's throat had been badly damaged, but it's been treated. It will never be one hundred percent, however he still hasn't said a word", replied the doctor, as Bashir entered the bedroom unaware that every eye in the room was on him.

The figure moved further into the shadows hoping that that, and the hooded cloak he wore would keep him save from prying eyes. He peered down the corridor at one of the quarter doors. He didn't need to get any closer to know what was going on behind it, the enthusiastic welcomes, the lack of response they received, he'd been there, done that, brought the t-shirt he thought finishing the familiar phrase.

He had hoped to have stopped it from ever getting this far, but he'd failed, and now all he could do was stop it from going any further.

Dax put the padd down and leaned back rubbing the back of her neck. Why had she volunteered to do this after an eight hour shift? but she knew why. There was a visiting Vedek on the station and knowing how much Kira's faith meant to her, had agreed to swap shifts so she could see him.

Ever since his return the senior staff had taken it in turns to spend time with Bashir, insuring he was never alone, in the hope that it would speed up his recovery. Instead however he seemed to resent their company, ignoring them most of the time they were there.

Suddenly there was a scream. One filled with more pain and betrayal than Dax had ever heard in all her three hundred years of existence. Rushing into the bedroom she found Bashir tossing and turning in bed. The sheets tangling up his long limbs as he tried to escape whatever invaded his sleep.

She sat on the edge of the bed and reached forward to comfort him, hjoping that even a touch would be enough to reassure him that he was now safe.

"Don't", said a voice, soft but firm.

Dax stopped, her hand mere inches from Bashir's shoulder. Turning she saw McKowski standing in the doorway. He jerked his head indicating she should follow him. Rising she did so. Once they were in the other room he turned to face her.

"I'm sorry I was so blunt, Jadzia, but it's best if you don't wake him while he's dreaming. The last time someone did that they set his recovery back days. It took them twelve hours just to persuade him to come out of the bedroom."

Dax nodded in understanding. "I'll warn the others."

McKowski smiled. "Thanks. Now why don't you go get some sleep. I know you pulled an eight hour shift in Ops before doing night duty here."

"I could sure use some", she said rubbing the back of her neck again.

"Then go get some." He escorted her to the door which hissed obediently opened.

"Okay, but I'll be back later to see how he's doing."

McKowski smiled in understanding as the door closed behind her. He had seen how much they cared for Bashir, and wondered if anything happened to him would they do the same? He hoped to God he never found out. Turning back into the room he spotted Bashir in the bedroom doorway. He gave him a reassuring smile. ""Morning, Doctor. Would you like some breakfast?"

Bashir headed over and sat down on one of the couches.

Taking that as a yes, McKowski headed for the replicator and placed an order. Bring it over he put it on the small table in front of Bashir. He watched as Bashir started and then headed through the bedroom and into the bathroom. Dax wasn't the only one who had pulled a shift before coming to see Bashir, and McKowski needed to freshen up, or at least throw some water on his face, before having another go at treating his patient. He had tried and tried to get him to talk about what he had been through, but he wouldn't, and McKowski didn't know how to treat him until he knew what he was up against.

As the hiss of the bathroom door finished another one started and the door to the corridor opened. A cloaked figure entered, glancing nervously about. Once he was certain no-one had seen him enter he headed quickly into the bedroom, ignoring Bashir who was doing the same to him. As soon as he got in there he made for the bathroom and removed one of the wall panels beside the door. Reaching inside he began fiddling about with the circuits embedded there. He soon finished and replaced the panel before going back into the living room.

He started towards Bashir, but then stopped as though afraid or nervous. The pause lasted no more than ten seconds, before he took a deep breath and seemingly pulled himself together enough to continue to the couch where he sat down next to Bashir, who still ignoring him was eating.

"I know what you're thinking", said the figure, who's voice was ruff and dry like he had a sore throat. "But it wasn't their fault. They didn't know you were alive, there was no proof." No proof you were dead either, but that was beside the point. "They would never have left you if they had known." He paused waiting for some response from Bashir, but there was none. "I understand what you went through. I understand completely because... you see I was there too." Still nothing. "Look at me, Julian." He turned Bashir's face towards him. Reaching up he then removed his hood.

Bashir's eyes widened in surprise, but that was the only reaction he showed, as he stared into a dupilcate of his own face, older and with salt and pepper hair and beard, but still his own.

"I understand", continued the older Bashir. "About the pain, the fear, the anger you needed to survive, believe me. But you can't blame them, Julian. You can't!" A loud banging suddenly started from the bathroom, and the older Bashir knew his time was running out. "You have to understand. You have to forgive them and you have to forgive them now. Otherwise by the time you do it will be too late." Bashir's eyes widened again. "Yes, I know what you're planning and I can't let you do it, Julian. I can't continue to live with what happened and I'll do whatever it takes to stop you." He continued to watch Bashir for awhile looking for some sign that his message had gotten through, but there was none.

The banging from the bathroom got louder and, realising that someone would soon arrive to rescue the good doctor, rose and headed for the door, pulling up his hood before he exited.

If he had bothered to look back a moment before leaving he would have seen Bashir remove the knife from the breakfast tray and place it under one of the couch cushions.

Julian sat down and pulled back his hood. He sighed as he thought back over the conversation he had just had. He knew it would make no difference. He would never have believed what he had just told the other Bashir if someone had told him back then. In fact he would have put it all down to a hallucination and still have carried on with what he had planned. He was going to have to keep an eye on Bashir and stop him even if it meant killing him. Better to die than to have to live with the guilt of what he had done, but then he never thought he was the type to kill himself.

There was a beep from the door chimes and he started as he wondered who it could be. He hadn't made contact with anyone since his arrival. He rose and headed for the door pulling his hood up as he did so. He pressed the door release and it hissed open. Surprised he found Odo outside.

"Yes?" he said nervously as he wondered if some how Odo had discovered who he was.

Odo stared at him curiously. Even here the man remained hooded. What was it that made him hide his face even here in private?. "I'm Odo, chief of station security. I need to ask you a few questions."

"Certainly, come in." Julian moved back to allow Odo to enter.

As the door closed Odo looked around the room trying to find any personal items that would tell him more about it's occupant. There weren't any. He turned back to Julian who had sat back down. "Would you mind telling me what you were doing last night and this morning, Mr...?"

"Smith", said Julian. He didn't offer Odo a seat as he knew that he wouldn't take it, not while he was questioning someone. "I spent the morning talking to myself." Julian chuckled, but the chuckle soon turned to a cough and he was forced to take a sip of water from the glass on the table in front of him. "Sorry private joke", he continued at Odo's puzzled look. "Actually I was here catching up on some paper work."

"You weren't here earlier" stated Odo. He had checked as soon as reports of a hooded figure seen lurking on one of the habitat levels had been sent in.

"Nooo", said Julian nervously wondering how Odo knew. "I went for a walk along the promenade."

Odo nodded as though he accepted the answer, but of course he didn't. "Why did you come to DS9?"

"I'm a merchant", Julian began with his carefully prepared story. "I thought there might be some business here. I was even thinking of going into the Gamma Quadrant." He rose and headed over to a sidetable where he refilled his glass from the bottle of water he kept there.

"You haven't put in a request to go through the wormhole", said Odo suspiciously.

Julian smiled as he heard Odo's suspiciousness, and the humour was evident in his voice as he spoke. "I said I was thinking about it. Look, Constable, what is this all about?"

"Someone answering your description was seen near the crews' quarters."

"My description?"

"Cloaked."

"That could have been anyone!"

"But you did go for a walk." Odo silently agreed that it could have been anyone, but he had a strong feeling that the person seen was the same one that was now standing in front of him.

"Along the promenade, which is no where near the crew quarters. Now ", said Julian slightly annoyed, and worried, by Odo's questioning. "Unless you have any further evidence that it was me then I would like you to leave." He started towards the door. Odo followed.

The changling knew he was right. Without further proof there was nothing more he could do except keep an eye on him and check his sources for any information.

As the door shut and he made his way along the corridor Odo thought back over their conversation. Two things stood out. One was that he knew that the crew quarters were nowhere near the promenade. Not something those visiting would know unless they specifically went out of they way to find out.

The second was what he had called him, 'Constable'. A nickname seldom used accept by those he considered close friends, and Quark. He could have over heard someone calling him that he supposed, but he didn't remember seeing him anywhere where he could have. In fact the man barely left his quarters. So how could he have known?

There was something else that Odo had noticed. The man had a scar on his right hand. It was small and round with a lot of lines spreading out from it. Odo was sure he had seen it somewhere before, but he couldn't remember where. He knew that he would eventually, in the mean time it would make identifying him that much easier.

Sisko awoke with a start. He knew every sound the station made, every creak and groan, and the sound that woke him had not been one of them. He heard it again. It sounded like there was someone in the other room. Rising he headed for the door, pleased for once that Jake had moved out.

He nipped through the door as soon as it had opened wide enough, hoping that the starlight from the window hadn't illuminated him too much. He moved further into the shadows as he waited for his eyes to adjust. Slowly they did and he began scanning the room for the source of the noise. Eventually he found it, or rather it found him as he was knocked to the floor, his last breath forced from his lungs by the impact.

He tried to draw another one but there was a weight on him, a weight with arms and legs. He had managed to only half fill his lungs when a blow caught him on the side of the head. Still groggy from sleep and the surprise of the attack Sisko's reflexes took over saving him from another blow to the head. As he struggled, the grogginess beginning to fade, he caught a glint of something bright and shiny in his attacker's hand, a knife. Sisko grabbed the man's wrist and tried to push the knife away as he tried to do the opposite. As his assailant leaned closer Sisko was finally able to see his face, and he gasped in surprise as he recognised his former chief medical officer. Bashir's face was full of hate and anger. The shock that his friend would attack him stunned the captain and his grasp on Bashir's wrist loosened.

Bashir feeling the pressure on his wrist lessen pushed forward with all his weight. His wrist slipped from Sisko's hand and the knife plunged into his shoulder.

Sisko gasped as the pain shot through his arm down to his finger tips. It increased as the knife was pulled out. Bashir raised the knife again and Sisko was forced to use his injured arm, the other had been pinned by Bashir, to stop him from stabbing him again. As he fought Sisko began to feel himself weaken as the movement caused the blood flow from his wound to increase. As he felt his strength ebb and he realised that he wouldn't be able to reach his communicator to call for help he heard the door open and saw someone enter in behind Bashir.

He was wondering if the person was someone who would help him or whether Bashir had an accomplice, when he felt the weight lifted off him as Bashir was pulled back. Sitting up Sisko could make out two figures fighting. One was Bashir, the other was too heavily cloaked for Sisko to see who it was, but he didn't care as long as he kept Bashir busy enough for him to call security.

Kira entered and took the room in in a glance. Furthest from her were Sisko, Dax and McKowski who was treating Sisko's injures. Nearest to her was Odo who was having a, one sided, conversation with Bashir as two security officers stood near by. In the middle of the room stood two people. One was O'Brien. The other, a few meters away, was dressed in a hooded cloak.

Kira stared apprehensively at the figure as she made her way over to O'Brien. "What happened?", she asked finally taking her eyes off the stranger.

O'Brien, who had also been keeping a wary eye on the man, turned to her. "Julian tried to kill the Captain."

"WHAT!"

O'Brien nodded and began to tell her what happened. As he finished Sisko and the others joined them.

"What I don't understand is why?" said Sisko.

"Because he hates you, all of you", said a new voice dry and rasping. The voice came from the hooded figure.

Kira looked at him suspiciously. He may have saved the captain's life, but that didn't mean that she trusted him. "How do you know that? And who are you anyway?"

Odo who had also joined the group, looked at the figure waryly. There was definitely something familiar about him. As he continued to watch the stranger he studied him trying to figure out who he was, and that's when he noticed the scar. Odo glanced quickly behind him at Bashir who was being led quietly out of the room by the two security men. More importantly he looked at the man's right hand and saw a now familiar scar. He turned back to the group. "You're him."

Kira turned to Odo and was just about to ask him who 'he' was when she heard that same rasping voice.

"Nothing ever got past you for very long, did it Odo?"

Kira now utterly confused, turned back just in time to see the figure finish removing his hood. She gasped along with the others as they recognised the figure before them.

"Doctor?" said Sisko.

Bashir winced. "I haven't been a doctor in over twenty years. Please call me Julian."

Dax and Sisko looked at each other as they realised what that meant. Time travel as oppose to any other way in which Bashir could have been duplicated.

"You said he hated us", said Dax. "Why?"

"Because you left him there… on Indos."

"But we thought he...you were dead. We would never have left you if we had known."

"I know that now. But it took me nearly ten years to accept it and by then it was too late." He turned away unable to look at them as he continued. "You see there was no one to stop me that night. I rampaged through this station like an avenging angel. The things I did would have turned even a Cardassian's stomach." He screwed his eyes shut to stop the tears from running as he remembered what he did.

"But why?" asked Dax shocked at what her friend was saying, at what her friend was saying he did. That was not the kind caring Bashir she remembered.

"Three years of physical and mental abuse. Of being unable to control what was happening to me, unable to fight back. To show the least bit off emotion meant more pain, more humiliation." He had shown emotion in the beginning, anger, but it had only made things worse. So he buried it along with the rest of his feelings. "So I kept them hidden. But keeping them bottled up for so long would have driven me mad. I had to vent them on something, someone." He turned back. " You." He began to pace. "I blamed you for sending me on that mission, for not rescuing me." He stopped and faced them, pleading with them to understand. "You know I was so close I heard the transporter beams when you arrived. I couldn't understand how you could have abandoned me there." He tried to get them to understand the anger and betrayal he'd felt when he found out they had gone. The anger that had drove him to do what he did. "Any way", he continued, "being here meant that I could finally feel something and three years of pent up emotions exploded that...this night." He remembered how he felt when he had killed Sisko. The sudden rush, the exhilaration as all those emotions were finally released.

"Is that why you came back?" asked O'Brien. " To stop this from happening."

Julian smiled. "Actually I was hoping to stop this whole thing from ever happening. Two years I spent on that equation and I still arrive three years too early."

" Could I have a look at it?" quired Dax. "Maybe I can figure out where you went wrong."

"Commander", cautioned Sisko. He remembered the non-interference rule with timelines even if his crew didn't. "So now that you've changed your history will you be returning to your timeline?" he asked his former chief medical officer.

Julian shifted nervously, a habit both familiar and missed by the others. "Actually things aren't that simple. I figured that once I'd changed history I would cease to exist so I didn't bother to make any return calculations."

"Well you better get started then, Doctor."

Dax sat alone at one of the tables in the replimat drinking a raktajino and gazing at the padd she had brought with her. She liked being at the replimat at this time of day as it was quieter and she was able to read her padd in peace.

"Mind if I join you?" asked a voice.

Looking up Dax found a cloaked and hooded Julian beside her. She smiled. It was nice to have Julian back, even if this one was different to the two she already knew. Sometimes he reminded her of the first Julian, the joking, nervous one she'd spent the trip getting there with, but most of the time he reminded her of the second one, quiet and sombre. But she supposed that was understandable after everything he had been through. "Please". She indicated the seat opposite.

"You said you wanted to see this." He handed her a padd as he sat down. "It's the equation I used to get here." He knew his enhancements meant that he would be better at the mathematics than Dax, but she had more scientific knowledge of time travel than he did, and so would know where the pitfalls were, which meant that she would probably have a better chance of working out the equation properly.

Dax took the padd and began to skim through the information. She knew what he wanted, for her to fix the equation so that he could go back to when all this started, but she also knew what Sisko wanted as well. "I don't know, Julian."

"Please, Jadzia", he pleaded. If there was any chance he could stop this from all happening then he would take it.

Dax knew that if she did fix it she would erase the last three years of her life, both the good times and the bad, but they would get Julian back, the Old Julian, the one they all missed. "I'll think about it."

He nodded. It was all he could hope for.

"Excuse me for interrupting." They both turned to find McKowski standing by the table. "May I?" He indicated one of the empty seats. They both nodded. As he sat down McKowski turned to Julian. "I need to speak with you, Doctor."

Julian grimaced. He wished people would stop doing that. He hadn't been a doctor since before his captivity.

"I was wondering if you could tell me what happened on Indos?"

"Shouldn't you be asking 'him' that?" said Julian nervously.

"I have, and you know he won't tell me anything." He didn't think he needed to tell him that. "I need to know, Doctor. I need to know what I'm up against before I can start treating him." He nearly said you, but these really were two different people. This one had had help with what had happened the other hadn't.

"Okay", said Julian. "But not here."

"So where do you want me to start?" asked Julian. He had taken them back to his quarters, Dax had insisted on coming. Now while they sat on one of the couches he paced nervously. He had repeated what he was about to tell them many times before, but it still didn't make it any easier.

"Why don't you start at the beginning", suggested Dax gently. She could see how difficult this was for him and wanted him to know she was there if he needed her. "How did the crash happen?"

Julian stopped and shrugged. "I don't know. One minute everything was fine, the next we were heading for the nearest M class planet." He'd run the scene through his mind hundreds of times over the years, trying to remember what was on the instrument panels, anything that would tell him why they had crashed, but he couldn't. "Williams was killed out right. D'elver was severely injured and trapped, I had to wait until the Indosians got there before I could get him out. He died an hour later."

"And you?"

"A broken arm, and a few cuts and bruises."

"You were lucky."

"Yeah, I thought so. but I soon realised that they were the lucky ones." Julian went quiet and when he didn't speak for awhile Dax tried prompting him.

"You said you heard the transporter when we arrived?"

He nodded. "We were making our way across an open courtyard when I heard it. I thought they were taking me to you, so when I heard it I automatically started towards it. That's when they hit me. When I came to I was in a cell."

Dax remembered the courtyard, a pretty little thing with a stone garden. To think they had been so close. "When did they start?" she asked.

"About an hour later. At first they just asked me questions, but when I refused to answer that's when they...started." Unable to think of a better word. "Beatings, electrocutions, anything to humiliate me. Some times they didn't do anything. They just left me there in a darkened room, wondering who was out there and what they planned to do." He didn't tell them that those had been the worse times The not knowing combined with the fear had nearly driven him mad. "Food and water was sporadic", he continued hurrying on from the memories of that room. "But I survived. My hatred of you kept me alive. I couldn't understand how you could leave me there to..."

"We thought you were dead, Julian. We found DNA residue for Williams and D'elver, and we assumed your's had all been destroyed in the crash."

"Well, you assumed wrong."

"I know that now, and you don't know how much I regret it."

"Not as much as I do." Dax saw the look on his face. The pain, the betrayal, the fear, the understanding was all too evident, and understood now why he had done what he did. "Look, I'm sorry, but would you mind?" He indicated the door. The memories of what happened to him had all come flooding back and having Jadzia there just made it worse.

Dax nodded, and she and McKowski rose and headed for the door. As it hissed open she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning she looked at the doctor.

"I'm staying. He needs someone." McKowski glanced behind at Julian who had begun to pace again. Turning back he continued, "Someone who's not involved. Besides I need to know more if I'm going to help my patient."

Dax nodded. She would have preferred to have stayed herself, but she knew Julian would not accept it. So McKowski staying was the next best thing. "Okay. Let me know how you get on." She stepped backwards through the door letting it close gently behind her.

O'Brien had stopped off at Bashir's quarters to see how he was getting on, and was surprised to find the future Bashir there. They sat opposite each other, one on each couch. It felt strange seeing two of them, especially since for the first year or so he was there he couldn't stand the man. But just as their friendship had started the accident had happened, and who knew where it could have lead if it hadn't. As he stood there staring at the two men McKowski came over. O'Brien gave him a questioning look

"I thought it might help if he talked to him." He didn't add that he thought it might help the older Bashir as well. The man had had years of treatment for what had happened too him, and what he'd done, but it still affected him deeply.

O'Brien shrugged. He supposed anything was worth a try. They both turned back fascinated by the scene in front of them.

"Do you remember Morris?" asked Julian. "I've never met a more ingratiating man in all of my life. The man was always apologising, even when he..." He saw the look in Bashir's eyes. The pain, the anger. It was too soon, too raw. He'd been there, He knew what he'd been through and he couldn't put himself through it again. He rose and headed over to McKowski. "I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore." He headed for the door, raising his hood as he did so.

O'Brien gave a worried look at McKowski, before hurrying after the retreating man. "Julian, wait."

"You sure you don't want anything stronger?" asked O'Brien indicating Julian's drink. It had taken him awhile to persuade Julian to come to Quark's, but he thought he could use a good drink to help loosen him up and get him talking. But all he had ordered was water.

"After you've been through what I've been through, Chief, you realise that water is the best drink in the Universe."

O'Brien shifted nervously. "Look about that, Julian. I'm sorry. If we hadn't..."

"It's okay. I understand."

"But..."

"There wasn't any proof."

"But I made the report."

"I know." And he had hated him more for it. He was just thankful that Molly and Keiko hadn't been there that night.

"I don't know how you can be so forgiving?" He knew he wouldn't be if he had been through half of what he'd heard Bashir had been through.

"I've had years to think it through, and a good counsellor." The court had issued him with one after diagnosing a complete mental break down. "She's a trill. Smaller than Jadzia and she doesn't like raktajinos, but she's good at her job. I wonder what she would say if she could see me now?"

"Probably that she has a lot more work to do."

Julian chuckled. "You know I missed this." After he had been committed he had been kept in isolation. Barely seeing anyone except his counsellor. And after he had been released he had had very few friends who had been willing to spend time with him.

"So have I", said O'Brien. "And now you've stopped him maybe we won't have too."

The Bajoran guard watch as Bashir wandered around the room. When he had signed up for security he had expected action and adventure, not babysitting some poor invalided man. Okay so the guy had attacked the captain, but they were onto him now. There was no way he was going to be able to do that again.

Unfortunately while the guard had been musing, Bashir had managed to sneek up behind him, and with the strength and ferocity that surprised the young man, he wraped his arm around his neck and pulled back until it snaped.

Bashir watched as the Bajoran slipped limply to the floor. Snatching up his phaser he headed out the door and down the corridor towards the turbo-lift. Once inside he spoke his first word since his release and ordered the lift to the lower core.

The sound of the evacuation alarm had woken Julian, and now as he made his way along the promenade he could see station personel helping civilians to their evacuation stations. As he made his way along, ignoring calls for him to evacuate, he spotted Chief O'Brien. "Chief!" he called rushing over to him. "What's happening?."

"It's Julian." Forgetting for a moment who he was talking too. "He's set some of the fusion reactors to explode."

"WHAT! Can't you stop it?" He never thought he would go so far as to endanger hundreds of lives just to get at a handful of people.

O'Brien shook his head. "It's gone too far. Here." He handed Julian a padd he had been carrying.

"What is it?"

"It's the equation. Dax fixed it. Now you can go back and stop all this from happening. But you'll have to hurry, there isn't much time."

Julian smiled. This was what he had been hoping for for the last five years. "Thanks, Chief. And thank Dax for me." He headed of in the direction of his ship, studying the padd as he went.

No thank you, thought O'Brien. Maybe now they would get back the Julian they all knew, and maybe things wouldn't have worked out the way that they had between him and Keiko.

As the small ship headed slowly away from the station, Julian entered the new co-ordinates. Then he increased speed, hoping to reach his destination before anything in this timeline could alter his chances of doing so forever.

Bashir stared out the window. He had been here for hours and had barely seen anyone. He so wanted to thank someone for the help they had given him and D'elver, even though in the end it had been too late for D'elver. He had even offered to help when he had heard the explosion from one of their mines, but was told that his help wasn't necessary as there had been no casualties. The explosion had come from the direction of the runabout crash, and he hoped that it wasn't in anyway responsible.

Bashir heard the door behind him open, and turning found Var'ek, one of his rescuers, and two guards standing there.

"Come", said Var'ek. He's understanding of Federation standard was very basic.

Bashir smiled and followed him, hoping now he would finally be able to say his thanks.

As they steped into a courtyard the blaring sun hit him, and once again Bashir was pleased that someone had come to his aid. He wouldn't have wanted to have stayed inside the runabout with this sun beating down on it.

They had nearly made it across the courtyard when Bashir heard a familiar sound. A transporter beam. Instinctively he started towards it, only to feel a large pain go through his head and the world suddenly went dark.

Bashir rolled over and groaned as the growing lump on the back of his head touched the floor. Gingerly he touched it. Yep it was a big one, but there didn't seem to be too much damage, no blood. Rising he looked around.

He was in a small room, no windows and one door. The walls were made of white stone and there was an ugly brown stain that covered part of the floor and one of the walls. A stain that Bashir had his suspicions about. It was a cell.

As he headed for the door he tried to think of anything he could have done that would have warranted him being there but he couldn't. Which meant this all wasn't just some misunderstanding.

He began examing the door in the hope of finding a way out. He didn't try banging on it as he didn't want to annoy his captors anymore than he had too. He knew they were going to interrogate him and he knew he wouldn't be able to answer them. No, he wasn't going to go there, not yet anyway. Turning his attention back to the door he continued to exam it. Eventually he had to give up and he hit the door in frustration as he realised there was no way out.

Suddenly he heard a sound from outside and he stepped back as he realised that someone was coming. There was some more noise as the door was unlocked. As it was swung open Bashir found himself staring at a cloaked and hooded figure armed with a phaser.

After first glancing up and down the corridor the figure indicated that Bashir should follow him. Realising that he had more chance of escape out there than in here Bashir followed the man and they headed down the corridor.

As they neared a corner the man stopped and peered round it. Quickly he indicated Bashir to a door on the other side of the corridor. Bashir nipped across glancing up the corridor as he did so. At the end stood two Indosian guards their backs towards them. As he reached the door Bashir tried turning the handle, but it was stiff from lack of use, even though it looked like it had been recently oiled. As Bashir fiddled with the door handle a phaser shot hit the wall beside him. There was an answering shot from the man as he made his way across the corridor, stopping in front of Bashir. Using his body to protect the doctor from any further shots, he continued to fire, while Bashir continued to try to get the door open. Eventually after putting his full force behind it Bashir was able to open it enough for them to squeeze through.

The door lead outside to a small open area and a run down part of the outside wall. Obviously this part of the building hadn't been used in awhile and wasn't considered a security risk. His rescuer started heading for the wall, dragging Bashir along with him, as the sound of the door being broken could be heard.

They had made it over the wall and were part way up the hill behind it when a large chunk of ground by Bashir's feet exploded. Obviously the guards had got reinforcements, reinforcements with phaser rifles. Doggedly they made their way up the hill until they reached a large boulder where they paused for breath. The stranger peered over the boulder at the approaching soldiers. He turned to Bashir. "I'll draw their fire, you head for the crash site."

"Why are you doing this?" asked Bashir. It wasn't that he wasn't greatful, but this man was putting his life on the line for him.

"Because you didn't want to stay in that cell any more than you had too, believe me. Now go. O'Brien's at the crash site, he'll get you out of here."

"But what about you?" He couldn't just abandon the man here, not after everthing he'd done for him.

"It's okay", he said. "I belong here." When Bashir still continued to hesitate he yelled. "GO!"

Rising Bashir took off in the general direction of the runabout.

O'Brien looked up from his tricorder. This was a big job, trying to find out what had caused the crash, but he had asked to do it alone. A good friend had died, and they were all still in shock. It was only now that he realised what a good friend he had been and he wondered what that friendship could have become if it had been allowed to grow.

There was a loud rustling noise from the trees in front and to the right of O'Brien. He drew his phaser. They had all been warned that there were large predatory animals in the forest. The rustling grew louder and O'Brien steadied himself. Suddenly the branches parted.

"JULIAN!"

"Chief !" Bashir headed over to him.

O'Brien tentatively reached out to touch him, to make sure he was really. He was. "Am I glad to see you."

"Not as glad as I am to see you, Chief. We need to get out of here." As though to reinforce Bashir's point a phaser burst came out of the forest striking a piece of wreckage next to them.

Ducking behind some of the wreckage O'Brien returned fire as he called for transport.

Sisko looked curiously at Dax. They had all heard the phaserfire over the com-line as O'Brien had called for emergency beam out, just as they had all heard him say there were two. He gave a nod indicating that the order be carried out, and just hoped that the chief hadn't got himself embroiled in some sort of domestic problem.

As the door to the Defiant's bridge opened Sisko turned to find out what was going on. Instead the words died on his lips, and he rose from his chair in both shock and delight. "Doctor !"

Everyone in the room looked up. "You're alive!" blurted out Kira.

"Look's that way." Smiled Bashir.

Kira chastised herself. That was a really stupid thing to say.

"Williams and D'elver?" asked Sisko. Bashir shook his head. "What happened?"

"Let's just say that the Indosians weren't that keen to see me leave."

"You were lucky", said Sisko as they all realised what could have happened.

Bashir nodded. "I'm just glad things can change."

Julian listened to the soldiers as they moved through the bushes. He shifted against the fallen log, and then breathed sharply as the movement reopened the phaser wound in his side. They would find him soon, but by now the other Bashir should have found O'Brien. He'd done what he'd come for, and there was no way he was going to go back to that cell. Slowly he raised his phaser and placed it against his head.

THE END


End file.
